Monday, July 5, 2010

We visited New York for a week this past June. My publisher The Little Bookroom and the Spa Caudalie in the Plaza hotel, hosted a book launch reception. I brought the family along for the ride. We stayed on the Upper West Side in a choice location that minimized subway and taxi trips and maximized the time we had to show the city to the kids. I didn’t have time to explore much beyond our neighborhood but thankfully our immediate streets were dense with outstanding cafes and restaurants.

This Vegan restaurant offered my husband’s new favorite indulgence--the “magic cookie” (1.95). This is a presumably healthier take on the whoopie pie made with chocolate cookies and a creamy filling with a gentle coconut flavor.

Photo: Rachelrayforever

We also loved the “fluffy quinoa salad” (9.95) made with baby greens, avocado, beans and a few other veggies and tossed in a creamy lime vinaigrette. So good we went back a second time for another plate.

My former student, Matt Kertman, recommended this petite basement bakery. I am so glad he did! Amazing cookies that looked like mounds plopped onto the pan with a large ice cream scooper. To quote the New York Times, “"Possibly the largest, most divine chocolate chip cookies in Manhattan.” The chocolate and peanut-butter chunk cookie was unreal (Photo: howtoeatcupcakes).

My editor took me to lunch in the West Village. It's hard to forget the way the Saikyo Miso Black Cod melted in my mouth. Beautiful flavor served in a rather generous lunch set that included miso soup, rice, stewed tomatoes and a salad ($16). (Photos: masatanaka/hwong512)

The girls were sprinkled with fairy dust before we headed to our table. We all ordered the set tea luncheon--for Matt and me, “The Mad Hatter”, for the girls the children’s tea complete with tea, scones, cream and jam, sandwiches, and chocolate mousse. They even offered a fresh baby purée on the menu.

After lunch, we packed up and were ready to leave and my husband mentioned to the server that our daughter turned 3 that day. She asked us to wait a minute and returned summarily with a a beautiful chocolate cupcake for Juliette. Kid-friendly menu and a fun ambience made Alice’s one of our best memories from the trip.

What I need to do now is make a list of which addresses I'm going to hit next time we are in town!